Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-06-11

DOWN HE WENT WITH A
shout of delight from the crowd, who always
like to see an aggressor laid low, his head
humping with considerable force against tho
Intel of the door. For a moment he lay still,
and John was afraid that the man was really
hurt. Presently, however, lie rose, and with
out attempting any further hostile demonstra-
ton or saying n single word, tramped Off
toward the house, leaving his enemy to CON-
pose his RULED nerves as best he could. Now,
John, like most gentlemen, hated a row with
all his heart, though he had the Anglo Saxon
tendency to go through with it unfinchingly
when once it began. Indeed, the whole thing
irritated him beyond bearing, for he knew
that the story would, with additions, go the
round OF the country side, and, what is more,
that he had made n powerful and implacable
enemy.
I is all your fault, you drunken little
b~lackguard" he said, turning savagely on the
tottie, who, now that his excitement had left
him, was sniveling n driveling in an in
toxicated fashion, and calling him his pre-
server and his baas in maudlin accents.
ale HI. me, baas; he hit me, and l did not
take the forage. Hc Is a bad man, Baas
Muller"
BE off with you and get the horses in
spanned; you are half drunk, +" he growled,
and, having seen the operation advancing to
a conclusion, he went to the sitting room OF
the hotel, where Bessie was waiting in happy
ignorance of the disturbance. 1t was not till
they were well on their homeward way that
he told her what had passed, whereat, remem-
bering the scene she had herself gone through
with Frank Muller, and the threats that he
had then made use Of, she looked very grave.
Her old uncle, too, was much put out when
he heard the story on their arrival home that
evening.
"You have made an enemy, Capt. Mel"
he said, "and a bad one. Not but what you
were right to stand up for the Hottentot. l
would have done as much myself had l been
there and ten years younger, but Frank Null.
Ter is not the "a to forget being put upon
his back before o lot of kaffirs and white folk
too. Perhaps that Jantje is sober by now"
This conversation took place upon the follow
ing morning, as they sat upon the veranda
after breakfast. II will go and call him, and
we will hear what this story is about his
father and his mother"
Presently he returned, followed by the rag
ged, dirty looking little Hottentot, who took
of his hat and squatted down on tho drive,
looking very miserable and ashamed of him
self, in the full glare Of the African sun, to
the effects Of which he appeared to he totally
impervious.
"Now, Jantje, listen to me" said the old
man. yesterday you got drunk again.
Well, I'm not going to talk about that now,
except to say that if l find or hear of your
being drunk once more-you leave this
place."
eyes, baas," said the H%ottentot meekly. II
was drunk, though not very; I only had half
q bottle Of Cape Smoke"
"By getting drunk you made a quarrel with
Baas Muller, SO that blows passed between
Baas Muller and the baas here On your &C.
count, which was more than you are worth.
Now when Baas Muller had struck you, you
said that be had shot your father and your
mother. Was that a lie, or what did you
mean by saying itp
IN was no lie, baas," said the Hottentot,
excitedly. II have said it once, and l will
say it again. Listen, baas, and / will tell you
the story. When I was young, 80 highland
he held his hand high enough to indicate a
tottie Of about IA years of age-"we, that is,
my father, my mother, my uncle, a very Did
man, older than the baas " pointing to Silas
Croft, "were %bijwoners authorized squat
ters) o n place belonging to old Jacob Muller,
Baas Franks father, down in Lydenburg
yonder. 1t was a bush veldt farm, and old
Jacob used to come Town there with his cattle
from the High veldt in the winter when there
was no grass in the High veldt, and with him
came the Englishwoman, his wife, and the
young Baas F~rank-the baas we raw yester-
d. aAov limo ,.o go. Il, ,,,.,, ...., ".
Croft.